In recent years, portable external storage devices such as portable external hard drives and USB flash drives (UFD devices) such as the Cruzer® flash drive from SanDisk Corporation (Milpitas, Calif.) have become extremely popular. One salient feature provided by many external storage devices is a relatively simplified user interface, which facilitates easy operation of the device. For example, many such storage devices lack a display screen or provide only a small display screen.
It is quite common for users to store ‘viewable’ content such as e-books or movie files on a USB flash drive. Whenever a user computer wishes to view stored content or to view a menu of content items, it is necessary for the user to obtain access to a microcomputer (for example, a laptop, desktop of personal digital assistance (PDA)) and to couple the external storage device to the microcomputer. The user then views the content or the menu on a display connected to the microcomputer. The menu is useful for selecting a content item for display (for example, using a keyboard or a mouse).
There are many situations where a user does not necessarily have access to a microcomputer (or does not necessarily wish to use an available computer), but nevertheless would like to view video media content, or to view listing of content items, for example, on a television, video camcorder, home cinema system, digital video projector, or any other media presentation device.
Thus, there is an ongoing need for devices, methods and systems which facilitate a viewing of content items, or a menu of content items, stored on an external storage device.